Marriage Equality

Since the founding our church on October 6, 1968, we have provided religious ceremonies for both opposite and same-gender couples who wish to make a public declaration of their love.

It is estimated that Founders Metropolitan Community Churches around the world perform more than 5000 same-gender Blessings, Marriages and Holy Unions every year. It is true to say that we have led the way in providing safe religious communities where these ceremonies can be held.

In California, we have been active in the political arena as well. We were very active during some of the most anti-gay ballot initiatives that attempted to write discriminations against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and queer peoples into our constitution. One such ballot initiative that is still being determined in the courts as to its validity is Proposition 8. This initiative was voted on in 2008 and, following a legislative ruling that found that denying civil marriage to same-gender couples was unconstitutional. What followed was a constitutional amendment passed by the voters that ultimately defined marriage in California as “between one man and one woman”. During the “Summer of Love,” as it has been referred to, 18,000 same gender couples married and remain married under California law.

Clergy at Founders Metropolitan Community Church Los Angeles married more than 250 of these couples, including many of its members and friends.

We will continue to speak out against this new layer of discrimination and have written several Amicus Briefs, or “Friend of the Court” briefs to support our belief in full civil and religious equality. Our clergy will continue to offer religious marriage to both opposite and same-gender couples and look forward to the opportunity to performing legal marriage again, in the near future.